KU Moves One Step Closer To Campus Carry

Last Friday, we reported that Kansas State University had drafted a new weapons policy in advance of the July 2017 deadline for implementing concealed carry. This week, the University of Kansas followed suit, submitting its own draft policy incorporating new concealed-carry guidelines to the state board of regents.

The new guidelines won’t allow carry everywhere—for example, buildings “with adequate security measures at each public entrance” to prevent entry with firearms would be exempt. This would presumably include sports venues, but may extend to a limited number of other buildings.

As in the case of K-State’s new policy, the draft hasn’t been without controversy. Anti-gunners have argued against KU’s policy by making spurious comparisons to hospitals, preschools and nuclear facilities. But logic seems to be firmly in the camp of those supporting Kansas’ law: “Personally, I was the victim of a violent crime when I lived on campus,” Bearing Arms contributor Beth Baumann said in a blog post. “A concealed-carry permit and a firearm would have armed me to protect myself. Instead, I was left defenseless in a gun-free zone.”

“The president’s biggest lie.” That’s what NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre called Chicago as he blasted President Barack Obama for inaction in his own hometown. With just about every gun law the president can dream of already on the books in Chicago, the Windy City is rapidly approaching 600 homicides for the year—the total currently stands at 578.

As LaPierre told an audience in Bakersfield, Calif., the president could save lives if he wanted to. “The president could pick up the phone and order his U.S. attorneys to flip that town upside-down and prosecute every felon with a gun, criminal gang member with a gun and drug dealer with a gun,” LaPierre said.

But our commander-in-chief doesn’t seem to care about making Chicago safer. “President Obama refuses to do that because it doesn’t fit the agenda of the elite ruling class in this country,” LaPierre noted.

As California Passes More Anti-Gun Laws, Firearm Sales Soar

After imposing 15 new anti-gun laws over the past two years, California is seeing lawful firearm sales skyrocket, with statewide gun sales more than tripling between 2003 and 2013, and more than quintupling in Sacramento County between 2001 and 2015, KCRA-TV reports.

Although that surge in lawful firearm sales has been accompanied by a drop in violent crime of almost 21 percent between 2003 and 2013, California still has more than its share of violence.

According to the FBI’s most recent statistics, from 2015, California’s violent crime rate is more than 14 percent higher than the national average—a difference, in a state of 39 million residents, that adds up to nearly 21,000 additional violent crimes per year. Nevertheless, in its annual “grading” of the states, the anti-gun Brady Campaign gives California a grade of “A–” with the minus presumably being because the state hasn’t yet outlawed firearm ownership entirely.

Survey Finds Gun Control A Top Fear Of Americans

In a new survey released this week, the fear of government officials restricting firearm and ammunition ownership ranked near the top of fears of average Americans, according to a report at Guns.com.

Surveying 1,500 adults, the Chapman University Survey Of America asked about the things that scare people most, giving participants 79 things to rank from one to 79. The top answer was “corrupt government officials,” with 60 percent of the respondents rating it first. “Terrorist attacks” was second, followed by “not having enough money for the future.”

Interestingly, “gun control” was tied with “becoming a victim of terrorism” for fourth place. In all, three of the top 10 fears involved government power.

Cleveland Barbershop Employees Foil Attempted Armed Robbery

Three teenagers who attempted to rob a Cleveland salon last Wednesday were cut short.

According to local media reports, at 7:30 p.m. the teens entered and attempted to rob the Prodigy Cuts barbershop on Cleveland’s West Side, shooting a 4-year-old boy in the foot and injuring another customer in the back during the encounter. However, the barbershop employees were able to return fire in self-defense, saving the lives of every patron. While the robbers all escaped on foot, a 16-year-old arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound a short time after the shooting. Police believe he is a suspect in the attempted robbery.

The other two suspects remain at large, and police are examining shell casings spread out along the street for any evidence. They are also asking for help identifying the criminals.